Fast Food Fun

Cupcake Buns + Brownie Burgers + Cookie Fries = One Happy Meal!

Or many…

I can hardly stand how cute these little guys are. You’ve probably seen them around before. I know I have. Cupcakes Take The Cake has featured cute ones. But, they are even cuter in person as I discovered this weekend. Oh my gawd… they just make me want to smile. I switched mine up a little by doing the burger out of brownies. But, you can just as easily make chocolate cupcakes and cut them in thirds to use instead. And if you want more realistic lettuce, tint some coconut (yuck) green.

I really decided to make these when I thought about making a meal out of them for Father’s Day, complete with sugar cookie french fries. I wasn’t sure if they would turn out, but I am so thrilled with the end result. Actually, I think the fries might be my favorite part.

Before I started baking, I made a template for a miniature paper box tray and french fry holder. You can download the 4-page pdf (636 KB) here if you want it. The pdf contains the tray template, french fry holder template (blank & with Happy Father’s Day). It also includes the design for the Happy Father’s Day tissue paper.

I printed the tray template on card stock (heavier weight paper), the french fry template on vellum (semi-transparent paper) and the tissue insert on tracing paper (really thin paper from Canson Art pad).

All three paper weights went through my printer fine – one sheet at a time to be safe. But, if you’re unsure about running the tracing paper through your printer, then just use regular plain white tissue paper.

Cut out the shapes as shown in the picture above with scissors or a sharp blade. Then fold along all the printed lines. Use double-sided tape to secure the flaps. Cut the tissue paper in half and place in the tray print side down.

Now, for the baking. Keeping with the fast food fun theme, I went all mixes on these. That’s right. I said mixes. For the cookies, brownies and the cupcakes. Don’t cringe.

You know I love learning to bake new things from scratch because it’s really empowering and satisfying and it usually tastes better, too. But, before a couple of years ago, I did all my baking from a box and really don’t have a problem using a mix. There, I said it. I feel better now.

So, I picked up several kinds.

The brownies baked first in a 13 X 9 pan. You don’t need any help there.

The cookies came next. I wanted to do rolled sugar cookies and luckily Mrs. Crocker offered some tips on how to convert the mix for better results.

Except I didn’t do the whole floured surface thing. I used parchment paper underneath and on top of the dough. Then I rolled it out with a rolling pin using rubber band spacers attached to ensure an even thickness. This is a really handy trick and so not messy. I got these tips from the book, Cookie Craft. If you want to learn more about rolled sugar cookies, it’s great.

See… perfectly even dough and a clean surface.

Here’s where I started experimenting, but it worked out pretty well.

Cut the dough in thin strips with a sharp knife and then a long cut down the center. The varied lengths are fine because you don’t want all your french fries exactly the same size. Remove the alternating strips so it won’t bake into one giant blob. (Reserve dough strips and repeat) Sprinkle sugar on top of the dough. Bake for about 8 minutes at 350 degrees.

These spread more than I had hoped they would for rolled sugar cookies. I know. I know. The mix thing. But, no problem. Just take your knife and cut each “steak fry” down the center for “skinny fries.” Do this right when they come out of the oven. Sprinkle more sugar on top while they are still warm, too. Lightly rub it on to make sure it sticks good.

And voila……

A big pile of fries. Yum! Try not to eat too many before you serve them. You can’t eat just one. Trust me.

Next up… cupcakes. I made these the next morning to spread out the work.

Boxes, brownies, and fries on one day. Cupcakes and decorating the next.

I baked 24 cupcakes using a yellow cake mix. I also exchanged 1 cup of buttermilk instead of the water. It made them nice and yummy. To test, I greased and floured one 12-cup cupcake tray and used Pam on the second. I wanted my buns to have smooth sides, you know. Well, they came out smooth, but also brown.

You can see what’s coming.

Yes. Yes. I made 24 more cupcakes. This time I used milk instead of water. No reason. Just to try it.

They were good, too. And this time I used paper liners to ensure the right color cupcake bun.

Now it’s time to assemble. Cut each cooled cupcake in half or thirds depending on how tall it is. Cut out 24 circles from the completely cooled brownies and place in between the cupcake bun.I used my ever so handy graduated circle cutters to do the trick. Size 2″ for uniform burgers.

Cute! It does look like little hamburgers and fries! I don't usually use mixes cause mixes that we have in Australia are pretty crappy. But if i do use mixers, i try to improvise by adding my own chocolate frosting just have it taste a little better. :P

Those are freaking adorable! I usually do from scratch, but if I'm in a pinch, I'll doctor up a cake mix. One of my favorite cakes is banana cake with quick caramel frosting, which starts from a yellow cake mix. Try it sometime–yum!

I love baking from scratch but Oh how easy the cake mix cookie is :) I rarely use the directions on the back of the mix and tend to come up with my own variation LOVE the burgers, I am for sure going to give them a try.

Oh my gosh!!!!! That is so cute. How do you have the patience to create all of your ideas?!! I guess because I have twin boy toddlers I don't have much patience for anything!!!!!I would say that I use mixes 20% of the time. I much prefer scratch – but always homemade frosting. (except I live in Canada where we call it ICING!!)

OMG, these are so cute! I'll have to make these someday. Perhaps July 4th, or Labor Day weekend.

I don't use mixes normally, but I use them when I have to bake a bajillion of one thing but I only have like 1 hour to do so. It just makes everything so much easier. I also use them when I dont have the time to get ingredients, but I happen to have some mixes.

oh my gosh, these are just adorable! They'd be great too for a kid's party..or just about anything!

As for mixes, I have no problem with them. My girls are still small and it's a lot easier when they want to help to use a mix. We do cakes from scratch too so they know that way as well. I like the mixes that have you add more to them, like some of the butter recipe cakes, where you add a whole stick of butter as well as eggs and other ingredients. I often substitute milk for water on mixes.

wow, they look amazing, especially the pile of cookie fries. Must find an opportunity to make them!

As for the mixes question: I use them occasionally, for specific types of cakes where I know the mix works better than any recipe I've tried. I can't get home made brownies as soft and moist as from the boxes.

Also hello, I'm new here. Have been lurking for a week or two but couldn't resist commenting on these!

Oh my….I am saying this with my mouth hung open. You are amazing! I bump by your site through other links from time to time and this time I am putting you as a fav. on my blog. You are really incredible!

I made some cake bites last night/this morning for a party…HUGE hit and no one would have known if I used a mix or scratch. I have 2 kids, 2 and 5, so I use mixes all the time for cakes and brownies. Cookies I prefer from scratch, except for sugar…I can never seem to get those right.

And I would have NEVER thought up Funfetti on my own ;)

But mixes also get us to the fun decorating faster and my kids are way impatient too!

how cuteeeeeeeeeeei love that you use mixes and you aren't afraid to admit it!!!

i'm known as the baker amongst my friends and they are like shy or embarrassed to mention mixes when they're around me even though i love them as much as them!

i adore baking from scratch because it's just fun and you can control what is in your recipe but mixes are also great for experimenting! you can add more or less eggs, extracts, substitute the cup of water for a juice etc… you can easily make it your own. using a box shouldn't discredit the creative baker!

to me it's like mac n cheese. we all know that the boxed vs. the real thing are two different things so i count them as different flavors. sometimes i'm craving the cardboardy fake taste of the boxed kind and other times i want the real super cheesy flavor of the real mac n cheese.

Those are super cute. There is a time and place for mixes-I LOVE Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix. The only way I make sugar cookies now. one reason- they are delicious. Second- by the time I get ones from scratch mixed, rolled and cut out, I am too tired and sick of them to frost. But with the mix, it is SOO easy- I still have the energy and desire to frost!!Also- love Betty Crocker Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin mix. Mmmm. Comes with a delicious lemon glaze.

Those are adorable. It's funny growing up we would never use mix, partly because we used ww flour and honey when possible, and the preservatives and stuff. Then when I started baking as a busy mom mixes seemed a no-brainer. I now find I like the scratch better but will use them to make with a bunch of kids, and add things like pudding, liquor, etc. Buttermilk sounds like a yummy addition.

Have you heard of the soda cake – one box of mix and one can of soda and you have a cake.

and for cakes, it depends on what you want. i don't like frosting with cake mixes since they're so sweet already, and seriously, until someone can find me a good natural strawberry cake recipe, i'm all for it!

As for mixes — I use 'em…mainly because when I make my own, they don't taste as good! LOL {Mainly because of the lack of sugar in mine…not as sweet :( I'm not allowed to use a lot of sugar when I bake – which is rarely – because 3 out of 4 of us are 'on diets' LOL}

I LOVE THIS! While I was reading your ost I was thinking of making the fries for the Independance Day celebration we have here… and maybe selling them for our Spouses club. Think that would be ok? They asked for baked donations so… I admit it, I use mixes. It's so quick, easy, and cheap when you've got three kids running around the house and ten more on their way over for a party. But I need to be adventurous and improve on them. I'm going to be buying some buttermilk at the store next time I go. OH, I made the lemon bars. Not so good. I think my mistake was in not using real butter. And the oven is tempermental with it's heat settings. Oh well, it was fun to try!

I use cake mix all the time.BUT to make it taste more homemade and to make it moist…add a small box of pudding and 1 cup sour cream to any cake mix!Use vanilla pudding for white or yellow cake mix and chocolate pudding for any chocolate cake mix!Hope this helps!

Bakerella, Thanks for including the template! I can't wait to make this for my husband for Father's Day. The kids are very excited!

OMGness! I love these… got to make them now. ;) I always use boxed mixes… some reason I just can't get a 'real' cake to turn out right. Sometimes I do improve the boxed cakes with some of my own additives though. ;)

If you are going to put all that time and energy into the cuteness factor, a mix is a MUST. Sometimes I add a box of instant pudding to give my cake mix cakes a little something extra. I've heard you can also buy flavorings from the cake stores.

These are amazing. Until recently I had never used a mix, I had assumed them to be inferior, but on your inspiration I used one to attempt some cupcake pops, and now I use them much more. I am ashamed to say they taste better than my cakes!!!

Look out Burger King here comes Bakerella!! I use mixes. Work full time and I have become the cupcake maker for every ones birthday at work. If I had the time i would do from scratch. Thanks for your creative nature.

Although I do prefer to bake from scratch, if I could get hold of the cake mixes I'd love to give them a try. They're a lot quicker.Actually the brownie mix works out cheaper than making homemade brownies and I'm not ashamed to use it but I think I would be a bit backward in coming forward about it.

In the UK you can only get a few of the very popular Betty Crocker mixes and the other makes are quite frankly rubbish. I've always wanted to try the red velvet mix but I've never been able to get hold of one.

Actually not getting hold of mixes is a pain as my friend went to New York last year and bought me four Betty Crocker cookery books (cookies and cupcakes etc.) for Christmas and all of them have at least one or two chapters with really yummy modifications to cake mixes. I've alwasy been intrigued by cake mix with pudding. Does that come together in one packet?

To be honest, I don't really like mixes since I think homemade is always better – but it always makes me wonder, how on earth do you change simple and basic cake mixes and canned frosting into something so cute and beautiful! You are so creative, I'm always stunned by your new creations

Those are absolutely amazing! I always use mixes when I bake stuff for the kids — time, ease, simplicity — as it allows me more time to concentrate on the fun stuff. Daddy and I are on the South Beach Diet this year and I am pretty certain these are not allowed… but would be fabulous for a Birthday party!

Oh my, that is so cute! But, I have to admit, it also creeps me out. I suppose they look so real, I am imagining tasting french fries with sugar on top, or a cupcake with ketchup on it.

Yeah, mixes great to use, if you can add a little something extra to them. Except, now that I live in Australia, like Lilia (2nd comment), the mixes aren't near as tasty as the ones in the US and Canada, and there aren't that many options out here either.

Oh we are having a get together for Father's Day at my brother's house this year. I may have to do this for that! Everyone would get such a kick out of it! Just got to figure out how to make it travel well…hmmm.

I use mixes and bake from scratch too…I love to experiment. Have you tried mixing a can of pumpkin with a cake mix?? Nothing else…just the can of pumpkin. It's a Weight Watchers recipe and it's actually really good.

I really prefer scratch baking (gives me a greater sense of accomplishment ) but I don't mind doctoring a mix…1 boxed cake mix, plus 1 small package of instant pudding, plus an extra egg, plus some extract (keeping with the flavor of the cake) makes for a thicker more homemade texture.

I use them in a pinch, especially for brownies – I can never get my brownies from scratch to come out correctly! They ALWAYS stick in the pan or overbake for some bizzare reason. I keep blaming my oven, but I think I might be the real problem!

If I do use a mix then I add extracts (almond) is especially good and I use other fresh ingredients like strawberries and homemade whipped cream, so that it has a personal touch to it. love love love your burgers and fries

I love the idea of baking from scratch, but I have a full life too. So, I often use mixes. I prefer to buy the plain (cheap) brownie mixes and then add my own chocolate syrup to make them rich and gooey.

My favorite cookie mix is peanut butter. I bake the mix in a small bar pan and spread a bag of melted chocolate chips over it. Let cool (if you can). I think this recipe is on the BC PB cookie mix as well.